We Were Split Up
by I'll Kick Your Muggle Ass
Summary: Sequel to We Were Marked. They've escaped Malfoy Manor but Hermione's seriously injured. Draco's determined to save them both. Will he succeed? Or will he fail?


_**Disclaimer: Don't own HP.**_

_ WERE SPLIT-UP..._

* * *

**We Were Split-Up**

OOO – **Draco** – OOO

My arms grew weaker as I continued stumbled throughout the trees, ducking under branches and trying not to fall over any of the roots that were like mini jumps. The undergrowth was too thick and I could feel my feet being tangled up in weeds and vines that littered the ground. We were still too close to the Manor and I wasn't going to chance harming the girl in my arms anymore by stupidly choosing to Apparate out of here. That would be completely idiotic, even I knew that. Her body lay limp in my arms, lying nearly still except the rise and fall of her chest that was slowly beginning to decrease in movement. The worry that was coursing through me was staggering, almost too much for me to handle as I could feel my stomach twisting in every direction that it could manage.

The sky was dark over head, nearly pitch black but the large, circular moon shone bright down upon us, casting an extremely faint glow that would lead my path. Sounds of nightlife were the only things that stopped me from falling to my knees, letting sleep take over me like I wanted it to. But I just could not allow that to happen. Letting that happen would be like welcoming death with open arms. And who would take part in such an act? To let your life be taken away so easily, it was not a brave or noble thing to do. Plus I wouldn't just be giving up on my own life. I had to keep going for her, the girl that lay quivering my arms. She was the only person I now had to worry about. Sure, Mother would probably be tortured in front of Father but they had forced me into a life that I didn't want. There was no choice for me. I was shoved into the Dark Lord's sight and he quickly marked me as one of his own followers. I had been given a task to do and I had failed. Torture was given out to my mother and I while Father spoke of how disappointed he was in me.

A sigh of relief left my lips as I noticed the trees were becoming thinner and more light was travelling through the branches, giving a bright glow to allow me to see where I was going. My strides became rushed as the excitement filled me as I was overcome with joy of finally getting out of the forest and being able to feel safer because we would be out in the open. The stumbling and tripping over all of the shrubs became most pronounced as I tried to get closer to the light, where safety was sure to appear. The girl in my arms whimpered as I jostled her about in my arms by accident and I knew the pain was worsening. She had tightened her grip on my shirt, wrinkling the already destroyed fabric, and I could feel her nails nipping against the skin on my chest as she tried to get a stronger clutch of me.

"Few more steps, I promise, just a few more", I whispered softly, my arms tightening around her small, injured frame as I feared she would be ripped away.

Her head bobbed slightly, telling me she had understood what I was saying. It was horrifying to know that I could have stopped what had happened to her before it got as bad as it had. Aunt Bella didn't like to give any hope for her victims. She went straight in for the kill and only played around with her food for half of the time the victims lived. Killing was the worst part for everyone who had a shred of compassion but for Aunt Bella? All she cared about was harming the innocent people as much as possible. Slicing and dicing could easily describe her style, along with her tendency to _crucio _until insanity was placed upon the person who was facing the torture.

My steps became more panicky as I broke through the tree line and glanced around frantically, searching for people who would see us and think badly of us, mostly me. Flickering yellow streetlights gave a spotlight-effect on the road that stretched on for what looked to be forever. Small, cottage-like houses were lining either side of the road and lights from inside cast shadows throughout the windows and on to the front gardens. The street itself looked quite dingy. Litter and broken bottles were scattered and wrecked on the pavements and the grass that wasn't being tended to by the Muggles looked dead compared to the rest of it. Flowers were dead, dying or a bit more colourful than all of the others and I doubted that anyone was caring about the image this was giving their part of England. Maybe that was just me but that was how it seemed to be.

"We're out now, Hermione. We're going to be good, I think", I muttered, my eyes still glancing around. "But I've got no clue where to go now".

She mumbled something inaudible before peering up at me through half-closed eyes that were red raw and leaking tears. Her hair was a tangled mess, like a nest, around her head that moved a little with each step I took down the pathway. Each time I passed under a streetlight, her face was completely visible. Every track left by a tear. Every small scratch that marred her flesh was in my line of sight. Blood was caked over her collarbone and it had seeped into her top and staining the material. I had to resist the urge to cover my eyes and wish away the image of her terrified eyes and injured face. Clutching her marked arm to her chest, Hermione quivered a little and cuddled her face further into the crook of my neck, letting tears drip on to my skin.

"G-gotta get someone to help us…" She said in an almost silent voice, in a weak voice, "Need to get h-help, Draco-o".

I gave her a single nod before continuing our trek down the street but I knew we might not find anyone who would be willing to help us. A wizard would be a better chance of getting us help but a Muggle? They would probably take one look at Hermione and run, screaming 'rape' or 'murder'. Actually, a wizard might shout that too if they knew I was a Malfoy and thought I was on the Dark Lord's side in this war. There was no chance in Hell that I would join those murdering torturers ever again. Choices had been made and many of them had been wrong but I was putting my mistakes right now. I was fixing it. I was trying to help her.

"D-Draco", Hermione groaned out, tugging at my shirt, "need…a…w-wand".

Just as I was about to tell her to 'grab her own', I remembered that Aunt Bella had snapped it fright in front of her eyes before the torturing had began. My own wand was in my trouser pocket but I would not be able to get it without dropping her. Glancing down, I was captured by the look in her eyes. The look I had seen so many times. In a class. In the library. In the Great Hall. It was a familiar look in her eyes. The look that told me she knew the answer. She knew what to do.

Gently, I gave her a small, twitching smile before bending down and laying her on to the grass. I kept a tight grip on her back, close to her neck, and made sure she was sitting then grabbed hold of the slim piece of wood. Clutching her right hand loosely, I bent Hermione's fingers around the wand and held her arm steady as she stared down at her hand. My eyes never left her face as her eyes became distant and a slight smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

_What was she thinking about?_

OOO – **Hermione **– OOO

It was as if tiny fingers were searching through my memories, trying to find the one that made me feel the happiest. Those little fingers grasped tightly at one time in my life and I could feel the smile that was already appearing on my face as it stretched my dried lips. That one time in my life when everything finally fit together correctly.

_The setting sun was hidden behind the darkening storm clouds that were clumping together, forming a wall to block out all of the light. Birds weren't singing anymore and the water of the Black Lake had gone still a little while ago, signalling that the Giant Squid had ducked down to escape the oncoming rainfall. The grass had stopped swaying and the trees weren't rustling like they had been only minutes ago. A storm was coming, that was easy to see, and I wasn't bothered by that fact. What bothered me was that the weather was mimicking the emotions of most students and teachers within the walls of Hogwarts. That fact was quite disturbing, even for me._

"_Beginnings of war", I whispered, letting my fingers weave through the strands of grass, "are always a terrible time for many"._

_There was a silence, then. Not even a whistle in the wind. Through my years of attending Hogwarts, I had never really enjoyed a time of pure silence. Not in the library or in class. There were always things that rustled or spoke or gave a quiet sound so the peace was always broken. Harry and Ron were always around, destroying the calm that I needed. Duties had to be done before there was even time for a break. Most of my time was spent studying with flipping pages that always made an almost silent sound. _

"_Who, in the name of Merlin, are you talking to, Granger? Huh?"_

_Letting out an irritated sigh, I fell backwards to sprawl myself over the grass and my eyes fluttered closed for a millisecond before I glanced up at the blonde boy heading my way. His hair was messy today, I noted, not as neat as it usually was. He looked tired with an extremely tense posture that equalled with squared, still shoulders. The shirt that he was wearing looked like it was covered in dust with wrinkles showing and the bottoms of his trouser legs were caked in mud. Draco Malfoy had never been one to look like he had just walked through the Black Lake and rolled around in the Forbidden Forest. He needed to be all polished and perfect. It was like it was against the law if he wasn't._

"_Who are you talking to?" He repeated, flopping down beside me and staring straight up at the sky. "Tell me"._

"_No one, Malfoy. I was talking to myself", I answered, turning my head to gaze at him._

_Malfoy smirked, "Always thought you were a bit loopy but just not as mad as Lovegood"._

_Snorting, I watched as the worry lines that were creasing his forehead faded away and he started to look a little more relaxed than he had. With a humourless chuckle, he wiped his hands down his face, leaving a few trails of dirt behind. What had he been doing? His silvery grey eyes closed and he interlocked his fingers before slipping them behind his blonde head._

"_Rude to stare, Granger"._

_Ignoring Malfoy's taunt, I slowly stretched my hand out in a daze. My fingers curled into a fist, any passing people would think I was going to punch him, but I softly smoothed my thumb down his cheek, taking away one of the smaller pathways of dirt. A droplet of rain landed on his cheek but I was quick to wipe it away, staring at how pale and pure-looking his skin actually seemed. I was just about to move on to the next line when I noticed that Malfoy had gone completely still, chest frozen as his breaths were held in. Feeling my eyes widen, I jerked my hand back with a gasp then saw that his grey orbs were focused on me, staring at me in confusion._

"_I'm sorry", I muttered, grabbing the books that were scattered to my left while trying to not even glance in his direction. "I _am so _sorry about that. That- Just forget that I ever did that, please? Just forget that"._

_In a near blind panic as my vision blurred, I clutched the books to my chest and stumbled to my feet, dropping a few as I went. Just as I was going to pick them back up, pale hands with long, ink-stained fingers shot out to bundle them together. Why couldn't he just leave it? A couple of books weren't much to pick up but Malfoy just had to be awkward and get them for me. Swallowing thickly, my eyes dropped to stare at the flattened grass and I heard him heave an annoyed sigh. _Just leave. Go, go, go, go. Leave, just go away, now.

"_If this is all it takes to shut you up, I'll pick up your books more often, Granger", Malfoy said, sounding amused by my embarrassment. "Where's your Gryffindor courage that all of you idiotic, brave people talk about?"_

_Stomach clenched, I forced myself to glare at him, "Shut up, ferret. Why not just leave? You've already made me mortify myself and now you want more. You want something to tell the rest of the Slytherins? I mean, you hate me enough to do-"_

"_I don't hate you", he interrupted me, "and I won't mutter a word about this to anyone"._

_Stunned, I could only say, "You don't hate me?"_

_Malfoy's smirk widened as he handed me the books, "Now, now. Don't get all proud of yourself because the youngest Malfoy actually thinks you're bearable"._

"_Answer me, Malfoy"._

_Sweeping his blonde hair away from his forehead, he scowled up at the sky as his voice floated around me, "I stopped hating you in fifth year when I was put into that stupid Inquisitorial Squad for Umbridge. I docked points from you for just being a Mud- a Muggle-born! But you act as if I'm calling you 'Granger'. I used to think you went off crying in your dorm but then I saw how you laughed with Potter and just called back with 'okay, Ferret Boy'. That kind of made me focus on you a lot more"._

"_So… you don't hate me?"_

"_For Merlin's sake, Granger, I don't bloody-well hate you", and then he laughed. "I would love to say I hated the idea of not hating you ever since I met you but I would be lying"._

_Even though I wasn't sure if that was meant to be an insult or a compliment, I laughed with him, probably looking like a total twit by grinning so manically. _

_My ex-enemy. _

_Draco Malfoy._

Pointing Draco's wand out, I laughed out the words that would hopefully save both of our lives, "_Expecto Patronum_".

OOO – **Draco **– OOO

I stared in absolute amazement as a bright silver-white light that quickly morphed in a scurrying otter appeared at the tip of the wand. It floated around Hermione, almost looking worried as it hovered over her injured form.

She smiled softly at the creature and, trying to keep her voice as steady as possible, spoke barely above a whisper, "An Order member needs to come get us. Just outside the forest surrounding Malfoy Manor, maybe in a street in a small Muggle village? It's urgent"

The otter circled her once more before darting off into the distance, dissolving into thin air as it ran along. When it was gone, Hermione shoved my hands off of her and flopped backwards; lying back on the grass and letting out a pain-filled moan that told me her wounds were getting worse. I followed her lead, settling down on the grass beside her and watched the stars twinkle above us. The cold air was biting at my skin but I refused to cast a warming charm as the icy feeling would be keeping Hermione awake. I knew from experience that anything cold kept you awake, like cold water.

"D-Draco?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry".

Shocked, "You have nothing to apologise for".

"But I do", she told me, crawling closer before resting her head of my chest, just under my chin. "You lost your family because I was stupid enough to get caught by-"

"Hermione Granger, you should blame Weaselbee and Potty for that. You're all brains and we both know that", I had to stop myself from shouting at her, she was being _that _stupid. "Honestly, you run about with someone who had a snake-like wizard after him and a guy who's grown up like that woman in a shoe, or something".

Her honey eyes glazed over with fresh tears and she trailed her fingers back down the side of my face, like she had once before. How could anyone truly hate her? Okay, she had a poor judgement on who was worthy of being her friends but her personality and brain made up for that. Her 'head held high, chin up' attitude never let anyone who was a prat (like ex-myself) get to her and that's what made her a true Gryffindor. Brave but not stupid. I was an utter fool not to see how brilliant she was sooner. And, sadly for me, I couldn't entirely blame Father for my decisions. He only told me about the beliefs that had come with being a Malfoy and I was idiot enough to believe them all. Mudbloods ruined the magic that ran through our blood. Purebloods should rule the magical community. Muggles were a waste of space. But _Hermione Granger_ was worth my admiration. She was worth everything.

"Plus, you have done me a great favour", I mumbled, kissing the top of her head quickly. "Now I don't have to listen to that mad cackle or my father muttering about how lovely the Dark Lord's feet have been looking lately".

And I relished in the fact that I could make her giggle. For some reason, my mind was only repeating one thing when I heard that weird combination of snorting and bell-like laughs:

_She's bloody perfect. So bloody perfect._

Hermione's fingers had paused just at my cheekbone and I was almost tempted to make them move again. She was such a brilliant person. Such a strong person. With strong magic and an even stronger mind. Suppose that's why I fell in l-

Multiply cracks that could only come from apparition sounded through the air, breaking me from my thoughts and causing me to look around the dark street. Her hands had moved to grab at my shirt, clutching tightly as footsteps started to come closer in our direction. My breathing became quicker and heavier as I noticed not only one but many shadows creeping closer to us. Nails stuck into my flesh and a hiss left my mouth at the sting.

"Hermione?" A voice called out, too close for me to feel comfortable.

Thinking that someone was going to rip her away from me, my arms wrapped around Hermione, fingers locking at the small of her back before both of my arms tensed. They would not get her. I would not let them.

"Found her!" The voice yelled and that's when I felt it.

Someone had grabbed her upper arms. Someone was tugging at her to get her up. To get her away from me. Panic welled within me and I felt the need to lash out. But a whimper escaped Hermione when my caged arms got too tight for her damaged body to take.

Then I felt hands wrapping around my wrists, yanking at them until I felt my fingers popping at the joints. They didn't give up as they continued to pull.

"Draco!" Hermione shrieked, tears running down her face when they finally broke my hold around her, "Draco!"

My fingers tried to cling to her outstretched hands when I saw her terrified face and the fear that practically swirled in those golden orbs. She couldn't be taken away. I needed her. Her fingers and nails sunk in deep to her captor's hands as she let out a scream, filled entirely with horror and pain. They were being too rough with her. She was already hurt and they were making it worse. _It wasn't good. It wasn't good_. The streetlights gave a glow over the faces that surrounded us.

Remus Lupin, the werewolf.

Dora Tonks, my cousin.

The Weasley Father.

Dumb Weasley Twin and Dumber Weasley Twin.

I had to swallow the roar of rage that was crawling up my throat, digging its claws into my flesh before I managed to get it down. The Weasley twins got me to my feet and started to tug me away, in the opposite direction of Hermione. Her cries were getting louder as she elbowed Dora and fell to the ground, trying to get to me on her hands and knees.

"'Mione, hun, calm down", my cousin soothed, or tried to. "We've got you. We're going to save you. He can't hurt you now".

Were they really all that dumb? Could they not see that she was trying to get to me? That they were hurting her even more than she already had been?

"Mr Draco Malfoy", the werewolf began, "you are taking to our Headquarters to be interrogated for your involvement of this war. You will be kept there until we have managed to come to an agreement about your situation". His eyes flickered to Hermione, "If we deem you guilty, we will hold you arrest until Azkaban is reopened by the Ministry that has not been tampered with. If deemed not guilty, we shall give you a choice of joining the Order or… Well, let's just not think about 'or' right now".

I was actually surprise at how I could listen to him for so long with Hermione being dragged away, being taken away. Dora was still murmuring words but it only seemed to be making it worse. She wouldn't listen. Hermione struggled as Dora wrapped her arms around her, holding her to her, and nodded over to Lupin before giving the Twins a look, that I didn't understand. _No, no, no, no, no!_

"_DRACO_", and then she was gone with a single crack.

* * *

_So what'd you think? Good? Not? _


End file.
